10 Greatest Thrash Metal Albums Of All Time

Drummer Lars Ulrich once said to Kerrang!, “Thrash implies a lack of arrangement, ability, songwriting, or any form of intelligence”. It was 1984 and Ulrich was discussing the yet-to-be-released Ride The Lightning, Metallica’s second album. “There’s far more to us than thrashing,” Ulrich declared.

Credited with being founding fathers of the genre thanks to their debut album, Metallica’s sophomore effort upped the ante on all fronts. Sporting superior songwriting and arrangement than what had come before, Metallica did not abandon thrash here but broaden its creative horizons to levels previously considered unreachable.

Through the use of more complicated harmonies, acoustic guitars and their signature style of extended instrumentals, Metallica tackled edgy lyrical subject matters such as war, political deceit, depression and even suicide with no punches pulled.

Setting them aside from their peers, Ride The Lightning established Metallica as a force to be reckoned with in the music world. Widely regarded as one of the most influential albums in all of heavy metal, Ride The Lightning was a monumental game changer for both Metallica and their peers alike.